Urban legends to get around - how about radon in granite counter tops?

They are out there - lurking - the urban legends, and they are rife!

Just yesterday the Realtor asked me if I am finding a lot of radon in granite counter tops. I said that no, that's an urban legend and it doesn't seem to want to go away.

He said, and this is pretty close to a quote, "Well, you're wrong! I have heard story after story about granite counter tops having radon! I would never have granite in my house!"

Alrighty then!

It would be nice to be able to say that urban legends come and go.

But they only seem to come, and continue to come.

You know, how the moon landings were filmed in a big NASA warehouse, and living near high-tension power lines causes illness and birth defects.

Both those are examples of recycling!

As to radon in granite counter tops, this was published by WebMD in 2008, “The [granite] counter top story emerges every 10 years or so,” Columbia University Center for Radiological Research Director David J. Brenner, PhD, tells WebMD. “This is about the third time I remember it coming around.”

And I was reminded of it again just yesterday.

So, what of it? Is there radon in granite counter tops? Probably. But, is it dangerous? And, can it be measured?

This has been on the EPA website for years, "Any type of rock could contain naturally occurring radioactive elements like radium, uranium and thorium. Some pieces of granite contain more of these elements than others, depending on the composition of the molten rock from which they formed.

However, since granite is generally not very porous, less radon is likely to escape from it than from a more porous stone such as sandstone. It’s important to know that radon originating in the soil beneath homes is a more common problem and a far larger public health risk than radon from granite building materials. Also, any radon from granite countertops in kitchens or bathrooms is extremely likely to be diluted in the typical home since those rooms are usually well ventilated.

In addition to radon, the other natural radioactive material in the granite can emit radiation. However, it is extremely unlikely that granite counter tops in homes could increase the radiation dose above that the normal, natural background dose that comes from soil and rocks."

Aren't these the same kinds of "news" shows that blew up a car to "prove" that the gas tank was dangerous, and slipped employees under cover into a grocery store to film them dipping meat in chlorine to "prove" that the chain was selling tainted meat?

"This includes all concrete products, clay bricks, most non-plastic plates and dishes, coal and the fly ash produced in coal-fired power plants, natural gas (contains radon), phosphate fertilizers used in your garden (ALL contain potassium and small amounts of uranium and thorium), and the vegetables grown using those fertilizers."

"However, the key word is 'measurable'. As an illustration, compare the radon produced by your naturally-occurring stone surfaces, such as granite, to the heat produced by a birthday candle. The candle cannot heat your house."

"Recently, many radon labs reported that consumers are placing their radon-in-air test devices on granite surfaces under bowls, buckets, baking pans, or other similar containers. BEWARE of suggestions to place an ordinary radon test kit under an inverted container of an unknown volume. Such an experiment will, 99% of the time, grossly over-report the radon levels."

"Testing has shown that a "pancake" detector equipped Geiger Counter (like those used on TV for dramatic effect) will over-respond 10 to 20 times more than a professional grade radiation detector like those used in hospitals and nuclear power plants. In fact, up to 95% of the Geiger Counter clicks may come from Potassium in the granite. Potassium does not produce radon gas."

"Granite also contains an element called Thorium. This can show up in testing and thought to be radon. Thorium produces a different type of gas called Thoron. Thorium is a shorter-lived element, which is similar to radon but decays about 6,500 times faster than radon. Thoron has a half-life of about 51 seconds, whereas Radon has a half-life of just over 92 hours. Because most of the Thoron never makes it very far from the granite's surface, the US EPA does not consider Thoron a major contributor to health problems."

"The bottom line. Gamma measurements made with simple hand-held meters alone CANNOT tell you how much radon is being produced by your natural stone materials. These simple meters grossly over-respond to the actual radiation coming from the stone surface."

So, is this enough information to sway you one way or the other? Is the granite/radon urban legend still alive and well? I bet it is! Personally I am not worried. The photo above is part of the island in my kitchen! We have a microwave too!

The fact is granite does emit radon. You should never place your testing device on a granite counter top. However, the amount of radon emitted is, as stated, negligible. That rumor was started by a NY Times article. I dealt with the granite counter top questions for quite some time after. Haven't heard much about for quite some time.

Posted by James Quarello, Connecticut Home Inspector (JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC) about 5 years ago

Hi Jay,

Really? You had the Realtor ask you that? There are a lot more serious issues out there than finding minuscule amounts of radon in a granite counter top. C'mon man.

That Times article got another TV documentary on it and it was that article that the WebMD quote comes from in my post Jim! It was the third time around apparently! It had been a while for me too, until yesterday!

Oh this annoys me, too. There is much more to worry abt from the ground. Personally, I think the places that make quartzite, etc and their sales people push this. I often hear abt this from people after they've met w/ someone like that.

Posted by Women of Westchester Working Together, Women helping Women get ahead (Women of Westchester Working Together) about 5 years ago

Oh, and I love your countertops. Nice selection. I also have granite and a microwave.

Posted by Women of Westchester Working Together, Women helping Women get ahead (Women of Westchester Working Together) about 5 years ago

Jay, that's a new one for me. Clearly there are a lot of products used in home construction that people could say "this product will adversely affect your health if you grind it up and put it in your cereal"! C'mon.

" I've heard that I can collect enough energy from the EMF's around transmission lines to light my house", and " the radon emitted from ceramic toilet can cause colon cancer", etc. I don't know why people want to believe some stories that get passed around. Yes, I saw the geiger counter clicking above the granite counter top on tv. Seems like that is all people want to remember about radon.

Posted by Jeff Pearl, Full Service Full Time Realtor (RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA) about 5 years ago

People seem to want to believe whatever is fed them, even when the "news" organizations feed them set ups Jeff!

Jay - but while they cut granite into slabs, and, usually do not modify its structure, in other wrods, do not engineer it, this is what they do with quartz, don't they? Don't they have to take sand mix it, and then "bake" at very high temperature? Ans, as far as I understand, there is a binder there as well?